Social Responsible Shopping #bebetter52

The way that we shop and the things that we purchase have a lasting impact on the environment and global economy. As consumers when we shop more responsibly, we have the power to change the way our products are made.

For example, lets just take GMO cotton that completes most of our wardrobes. GMO cotton requires more water, and India has been in a drought the past several years. That has led to a decline in cotton yield, and farmers are going more and more into debt. The farmers have to buy and spray more pesticides each year because of increasing resistance to the toxin in the plants. These are harmful to the environment (pesticides leach the soil of essential nutrients and bacteria), to the farmers spraying the crops, and to the wearer of the clothes, as pesticides are not easily washed out. Our skin is said to absorb about 60 percent of what it comes into contact with. GMO pesticide toxic cotton is in everything – our clothing, bedding, cotton swabs, and even tampons.

By buying clothes made from organic cotton, you are supporting a change in the fashion industry-not just in the production facilities, but all the way back to the first step, to the people who are growing the fabric.

This week’s #bebetter52 challenge is not as drastic as selling and giving away your entire wardrobe and replacing it with an entirely socially responsible one. Instead, we recommending baby steps. With Black Friday and the holidays approaching, this week’s challenge is to look over the listed stores and websites of socially responsible clothing and jewelry, and to purchase one item, either for yourself or as a gift. You’ll find something for every budget among these various sites and stores, and likely something similar to what you already purchase for the same price. But this way your money will help support organic farming, sustainable fashion and fair-trade wage

Let all shop a little more responsibly. Let try to purchase organic clothing whenever possible. We as consumers have the power to change the way our clothing is grown. Other ways to shop responsibly include supporting businesses that pay their workers fair wages and provide good, safe working conditions. We have all heard horror stories of sweatshops, but many of the following listed stores have traceable clothing, meaning you can trace it back through production and see the sustainability and accountability of your clothing. We have found several companies in the U.S. and in Europe that met the criteria – and now we want to share them with you!